The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-18

the customs OF the day, IKE many 9th
or customs, some Of which are sacred
to the Christian church, dates to the
heroic days of that pagan city. Only
the day had another name then. They
called it the festival of the Lupercal,
and when the day came round, which
occurred IN the middle OF February,
there was great stir and boisterous mirth
among the young folks of the imperial
city. Among other customs the Roman
lads and maidens wrote their names
upon tablets which were drawn by lo,
from box, and the couples thus thrown
together were supposed to be attentive
to each other for certain season.
Presents of jewelry, flowers and other
triiles dear to the hearts of the Roman
maids were given by the young men,
and doubtless suitable returns were
made. There is no doubt the little
olive-colored Italian boys and girls en-
joyed the day quite as much as modern
children do the fourteenth of February
now"
"Why did they call il the Lupercal
and not st. Valentines Day." inquired
Dura. think Valentine much the
prettier name"
"Lupercal was the day sacred to their
false god Lupercus, whom they mag
ined to preside over fertility. st. Val
entine was not known then nor for
many years after. When Christianity
became the prevailing religion, the
church made an effort TO abolish the
heather feast, which. by that time. ha d
become mere expression of gallantry,
but finding this quite futile, another
name was given TO it, and, as one OF
the early martyrs had his birthday on
the fourteenth, they very appropriately
selected him. This was ST. Valentine, q
Bishop or Presbyter who suffered mar
tyrdom about two hundred and seventy
years after our Saviour's time, He is
spoken of in the early church histories
as very good, gentle and benevolent
man. | cannat help but thinking that
the good r shop would be surprised ut
some of the customs by which his name
is perpetuated.
During the middle ages there was
q prevalent notion among the country
people that this was the day on which
birds selected their mates, and at one
time it was the custom for young folks
to go out before daylight on that morn
ing, and try to catch an owl and two
sparrows in n net. If they succeeded,
it was good omen, and entitled them
to gifts from the villagers. Another
fashion was to write the valentine, tie
it to an apple or orange, and steal up &c
the house of the chosen one in the even.
ing, open the door quietly and throw it
in.
THE drollest valentine ever heard
of belongs to those old times in Eng.
land, and consisted of the rib of
small animal, wrapped in white satin
ribbon, which was tied in true lovers
knots in several places. This elegant
and suggestive gift was sent to bach
elor, accompanied with verses, some of
which are not superior to those on
Dura's valentines. Here is one that ]
remember:
$50, contemplate this lovely sign,
Haste thee away to Reasons shrine,
And listen 10 her voice;
mo more Elusive shades pursue,
To happiness this gives the clue,
Make but prudent choice.
"'Till Adam had partner given,
8 mich rs fair Eden boom'd like heaven;
His bliss was incomplete;
"'No social friend these joys to share,
Gave the gay scene vacant air;
She came-'was all repletep
which was nothing TO be desired, I'm
sure"
The children laughed merrily at the
idea of the rib and the verses. 'li
seems to me-" said Dura, that that
was not much better style than my
boy and donkey"
II think il conveyed altogether diff
ferent meaning. You see those were
the days of gallantry and chivalry, and
their minds all run on love. courtship
and marriage. 1t was supposed. for
instance. that the first unmarried per.
son of the other sex whom one met on